


With All My Hope And Love, Maven

by justbefckingnice



Category: Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 14:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17664401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbefckingnice/pseuds/justbefckingnice
Summary: After killing his mother and helping to establish a new form of government in Norta, Maven receives a letter sent to him from Premier Davidson. A fourteen year old newblood daughter of a whisper is being held in a children's hospital in Montfort for psychiatric recovery from repeated and prolonged whisper abuse, and she wanted to send a letter to tell Maven that he is her hero. In a desperate attempt to bring confidence and hope back into the little girl's heart, Maven becomes an unlikely pen-pal with Rosabelle Eris, escaped princess of the Tiraxes.





	With All My Hope And Love, Maven

The Premier had called me first thing that morning, the second I’d sat down in my desk.  
"She's very ill, Maven. She's made multiple attempts at her life, she refuses to eat... The nurse told me she idolizes you, so I told her that I would deliver a letter. I know this is a large favor to ask, but I'm hoping you'd at least try. The poor girl is so alone," Davidson sighs as he talks. "Maybe hearing from you would lift her spirits." I nod to myself dutifully.  
"Of course, Premier. I'll do it immediately." I say my goodbyes before clicking the phone off, picking up the letter and beginning to read.

"King Maven Calore,

I'm sorry to bother you with this letter.  
My name is Rosabelle Eris, newblood daughter to the late King of the Tiraxes.  
I don't really know what I'll get out of sending you this... But I have to ask. Why did you save me? I don't understand why you would go out of your way for me.  
I guess what I'm trying to say is, I want to know how you do it? Survive, with the pain. The nurses tell me to have hope, but I don't think I'll ever get better. I don't think there's hope for me. I don't have a brother, or an army, or a little lightning girl who cares for me. I'm all alone here. The nights are cold and the blankets itch, and I only have the three outfits I was given when I came here.  
I wish I wasn't so alone.  
I'm sorry to bother,  
Rosabelle."

My eyes brim with tears at the words. I get a lot of letters from people looking for hope and guidance, but something about this one struck me. Perhaps it was the fact that the doctors say she won't survive if she continues like this. Or maybe it has to do with the fact that she's only fourteen. But more than anything else, I know deep down it has to do with the fact that she struggles with the same trauma as I did, and still do. I've learned how to live with Elara's voice in my head, she's even gotten quieter over the years as I heal. But I still remember the horrors of what I went through. I swallow deeply and wipe my cheeks. I must do something, no matter how small.

"Dear Rosabelle Eris,

First and foremost, you are no bother.  
Secondly, you are just as deserving of life as the rest of us, and I lead the mission to free you because of that. I believe each of us have potential, and you cannot reach yours locked in a prison.  
There is hope, because you are not alone. I am here, thinking of you, and believing in your recovery. If I can do it, you can too. We make our own choices and choose our own paths. While I can't provide you with a miracle, I can promise I will be with you.  
We are the heroes of our own stories.

With all my hope and love,  
Maven."

I fold the letter and seal the envelope, hoping that it somehow makes her feel better. I don't want her to feel alone. I know that pain.

___________________________________

I seal another letter and put it in my mailbox. Rose has been my pen-pal for months now, all throughout her time in the hospital. I've kept drawings from her, small gifts and even the envelopes themselves. I sent her clothes at one point, a blanket and a small stuffed animal. In her latest letter, she told me she got her first trip out of the hospital, and she went ice skating. I've found out she likes to paint, and she learned to figure skate as a child. She likes reading, music, and her favorite animal is a bunny. Her favorite colors are red and gold. She has beautiful red hair and freckles, and has heterochromia, which means that her eyes have multiple different colors in them (brown, green, and blue in that order, she calls it rainbow-eye). She'll be turning fifteen in four months, June 28th.  
She sent me a picture she got while out ice skating, mid-spin. I pin it up on the wall in my kitchen, where I keep all her little presents. Cal has taken to calling it my "memory wall." He and the rest of our friends mock me for it, but deep down I know they think it's endearing.  
I stand back and look at the picture, beaming with joy. I truly love Rosabelle and seeing her doing better fills me with pride. I decide to call a dinner to celebrate.

___________________________________

Cal, Mare, Farley, Shade, and Kilorn all come over for dinner on Tuesday, three days later.  
"So, she's discharged?" Shade passes a bowl of salad to Farley.  
"No, just on a pass. They let the patients go outside occasionally, to assess them in the real world," I explain, cutting up my steak.  
"Wait so... Why the celebration dinner?" Mare knits her brows together in confusion.  
"Because she's doing so much better!" I wave my fork dramatically. Cal laughs and pats my shoulder.  
"She looks great. I saw the picture. I'm happy for her, this is a big step." He looks over and smiles at me. "I felt the same way while you were getting better."  
I smile back, nudging him with my elbow. He nudges me back, and Kilorn and Mare coo sarcastically at our brotherly love.  
"Have you checked the mail today?" Farley ate a bite of food. I stand up abruptly.  
"I should go do that!" I run out to my mailbox, and sure enough, I find a letter, addressed to me from Rosabelle. I open it up as I walk outside, and Just as I get to the kitchen, I stop and stare inside the envelope.  
"What is it, Mavey?" Cal walks over to peer over my shoulder. I pull it out.  
A hospital bracelet, cut off her wrist, with her discharge date written on the front next to her admittance date. She had left Monday. A note was written on the inside.

"For teaching me to hope and love, Rosabelle."


End file.
